Aussie Broadcasters Form Think TV

SYDNEY: Free-to-air and pay-TV broadcasters in Australia have aligned to establish the new independent research and marketing group Think TV.

This is the first time that the two television sectors have come together under a new industry body to promote TV’s scale and effectiveness for advertisers across all screens. Think TV will lead a collective effort from broadcasters to demonstrate how TV advertising in broadcast quality content environments remains “profoundly effective” and the “clear leader” among all media channels in terms of advertising impact and return-on-investment. Think TV will also lead research programs that will underpin the effectiveness of broadcast television for advertisers across linear and digital channels.

“Think TV is without doubt the most potent and collaborative initiative that television broadcasters have developed in 20 years,” said Think TV’s inaugural chairman, Russel Howcroft.

“Much industry debate follows the ‘ping pong’ shifts in digital media with many assumptions then linked to television’s impending doom, assumptions which are fundamentally flawed. There is an urgent need to clarify for advertisers conflicting and confusing digital measurement claims and misinformation about the impact of advertising in many digital channels,” he said. “It’s hardly new news but advertising in broadcast viewing environments—linear and digital television—remains amazingly resilient, effective and brand safe. Television is not going anywhere, it’s broadcasting everywhere.”